Keywords
Nephi, inverted parallels, Book of Mormon, poetic form, chiasmus
Abstract
Did Nephi intentionally use chiasmus in his writings? An analysis of fifteen multi-level chiasm candidates in Nephi’s writings demonstrates a high statistical probability (99%+) that the poetic form was used intentionally by Nephi but only during two specific writing periods. This finding is buttressed by further analysis, which reveals a clear and unexpected literary pattern for which Nephi seems to have reserved his usage of chiasmus. The nature of obedience is a major theme in Nephi’s writings, and he regularly employed chiasms to explore the topic early in his writings. After a period during which he discontinued use of the technique, he returned to the poetic device toward the end of his life to signal a significant shift in his thoughts on the topic of obedience.
Recommended Citation
Newton, Dennis
(2016)
"Nephi’s Use of Inverted Parallels,"
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: Vol. 22, Article 7.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/interpreter/vol22/iss1/7
